Harry Potter and the Army of Dumbledore
by Smegul
Summary: As things begin to happen Harry decides that the DA should move to afurther level... and suddenly the Order of the Phoneix and The Ministry of Magic are not alone in the fight against Voldermort and Harry is finally in charge of his own destiny. Fun, frol
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter and the shadow war  
  
Chapter 1: Petunia's con  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing other than the clothes I'm wearing and  
  
the computer I'm typing from  
  
SPOILERS: All Harry Potter books including OOTP!  
  
Daniel Baker had experienced his fair share of comedy whilst working in the DIY store in Little Whinning. He had been working there on Saturdays since the age of thirteen and since he had left collage had been working there six days a week. Now at the ripe old age of thirty two and the current assistant manager. Dan had sold more chisels and trowels than most men, and in doing so had, had opportunities to chuckle at old lady's buying power tools and young suspicious looking boys one of them extremely fat, attempting to buy spray paint for what they claimed to be a school project.  
  
However despite all this, quite possibly the most amusing and slightly nerving moment of dan's career was at the beginning of summer when a stick like teenage boy with a mop of messy dark hair had strolled calmly into his shop and proceeded round the first isle past the goldfish display beyond the wallpaper section and into the gardening section. In the following minutes dan heard such strange grunting noises followed by moans of suppressed agony that he was tempted to leave the cash till un manned and go and discover what the problem was.  
  
The strange fact about Whinning DIY was that it was not little and certainly not whining. Infact it was completely the opposite. The store was the size of a large supermarket it stretched row upon row containing all things from lawn mowers to toe-nail clippers to video games and all the other strange out of place items found in English DIY shops, the problem was however not the prices or the quality of goods but simply the fact that little whinning was just that. little and consequently the shop it's days of affluence long gone rarely had customers and consequently only had one person at a time working at it. This was precisely why Dan was at pain to walk the hundred and fifty meters from one end of the shop to the other leaving the old 50's till extremely venerable to criminals.  
  
In the end Dan's dilemma was solved as soon as he saw one of the most amusing and pain enduing sights of his life. Amusing because the most frail boy he had ever seen in his life the same boy who walked in five minutes ago was dragging/carrying/pushing/whatever he could three of the big bertie's. In other words the largest, second largest and third largest sledge hammers in the shop, the sight of the poor creature struggling mixed with the thought of him attempting to use them was the source of the amusement. The source of pain was discovered when Harry Potter dumped the lightest of them on to the counter and there was a sickening crash and a shriek of pain as the sledge hammer crashed through the old desk and on to the foot of Daniel.  
  
Harry's eyes stung as sweat rolled down his face on his first day of work, he looked up and blinked. He couldn't see very well the sun was in his eyes as was the sweat poring off his forehead. He reached for his glasses which were hanging off the V of his shirt. He put them on and released the sledge hammer from his grip. He was very tired but a look at his watch told him it was only two o'clock and he promised his Aunt Petunia that he would work until five or he would not get paid and never finish all the other concrete paths running down the back garden and side gate. Petunia wanted the garden re-done and Harry seeing an opportunity to get away from the Dursleys gets some money, builds up his strength and takes his mind off things, jumped at the opportunity. However it wasn't that easy, both getting the job and doing it were harder than Harry could ever have imagined.  
  
Like Uncle Vernon's dilemma two years before when Harry had wanted to go to the quidditch world cup. Petunia was in a situation where what she wanted was also going to make 'the boy' happy. Never the less she may well have once again in a similar way to Vernon let Harry have what he wanted for her self provocation however when she was just about to agree to his proposal of working for her in the garden Harry had made a mistake, a big mistake.  
  
"And what about my wages?" he had said  
  
It wasn't that he expected wages infact he thought the chances were very slim but he felt that taking the initiative and testing the waters was the right thing to do. It wasn't  
  
Aunt Petunia had been to mortified to speak but if she hadn't she would have said something along the lines of: "Young ungrateful child. wicked boy... we take you in.feed you... clothes on your back. ECT  
  
However aunt Petunia just stood there looking insulted, after a few minutes she managed to mumble "Ille think about it." in a voice even higher than normal. Harry stayed in his room the rest of that evening thinking it best to avoid Vernon in case she had mentioned anything to him. He knew Vernon had returned as he heard the distinct sound of Dudley coming up the stairs from his summer work experience with his father, well it may have been an earthquake in Japan but Harry felt it was Dudley as once the house stopped reverberating the door across the hall slammed in a violent fashion.  
  
Dudley had been in a relatively good mood lately as his father had not only been paying him well for his work experience at Grunnings but had also hired him a secretary who resembled a super model and given him a co-worker clever enough to do a weeks work for two in a day and a half.  
  
Harry was surprised when he didn't hear a second set of thundering footsteps that night that signalled Aunt Petunia had informed Vernon of there previous conversation.  
  
Harry was even more surprised to find Petunia waking him up at five thirty the next morning handing him the keys to the tool shed and explaining that his first task was to strip the garden by removing the several concrete paths that ran through the garden. That he would be paid five pounds per hour on weekends and four pounds an hour on weekdays. He would be assigned a different task each week and that if he didn't finish or nearly finish that week's task he would be fired.  
  
That morning Harry had for once felt he was getting somewhere in the Dursley household and that this summer might not be as bad as he had thought once he had discovered he would not be allowed to go to the burrow this summer. He was so enthusiastic he got out of bed showered dressed and ate by six. As Harry pulled on his boots Aunt Petunia forced a fifty pound note in to his hand and told Harry that he would have to buy a couple of sledge hammers because they didn't have any. Harry was shocked that Petunia would trust him with such a large sum. However he was brought back down to earth when Petunia yelled out the window that she wanted a receipt and change. So Harry went and bought the sledge hammers and began to work.  
  
Every muscle in his body was screaming as he raised the sledge hammer in a pathetic arc and brought it down on the cracked path. Harry had worked fine earlier as one half of the path was thinner than the other side and it had been sufficient to raise the smallest of the three sledge hammers to his shoulder height and let gravity do the work however as he had moved up the path his muscles had got tired and the path had got thicker making things even harder. He attempted to raise the hammer and felt a strong pain in his shoulder and let it sink though he made no noise he winced, paused took a deep breath moved his arm felt no pain and turned his wrist to look at his watch four thirty. Only thirty minutes more of this torture he thought. He began picking up the bits of broken concrete path and meticulously stacking them in to the wheel barrow. It was relatively sunny but quite humid making work hard and Harry was relived when he managed to finally role the wheel barrow up the muddy ramp to the skip currently sitting outside number four, he tipped it and shook it backwards and forwards until the last big slab had dropped in. He dropped the will barrow after taking it back down the ramp put the sledge hammers in the tool shed and locked it. Checking his watch he realised it was five past five and decided to sweep the muddy lump of flattened soil where the path had once been to remove all the small concrete pebbles and sand underlay. This way it would not seem to Petunia he was dropping his tools at five on the dot.  
  
He strolled casually to the house and walked inside. The kitchen was empty and he walked into the living room to find Vernon his eyes closed snoring in his favourite arm chair and petunia who had evidently been cleaning the floor with a rolling hover shot round at him her fingers to her lips as if to say 'Be quiet don't you dare wake him' This was something slightly stupid as Harry had not only been silent but also because Dudley's loud punk rock music could clearly be heard from the living room. Aunt Petunia walked straight passed him ignoring him now. Harry followed her. "Finished have you?!" she snapped rudely. Harry nodded She glanced at her watch and gave him an accusing stare so I suppose you think you're being clever do you. Harry was confused at her death stare, he had come to her for paying the only term he had arranged that morning was to be paid each day so he could spend some money on his evening walks and so he didn't do a weeks work only to find she was trying to con him. His face looked blank. She carried on "It's thirty five past five!" she said as if that explained everything. Harry held his blank look. "Well I'm not paying over for the next hour. I don't care if you think coming in the other side of the half hour means you'll get paid for the whole hour. "Im not paying you a penny beyond five!" "No." said Harry meaning to explain that was not what he was doing and that he only wanted his standard days pay. "NO..." Petunia replied "I give you bloody no you'll lucky to be getting paid at all! I could get my darling dinky duddy dums to do it for free!" Harry bit back the words 'Yeah right! Only if the path was edible!' paused and calmly said "A standards day's pay will be fine." And ignored ignored Petunia's belittleing remark "Too bloody right it will be!" "Here you go" she said. "I've worked it out on this piece of paper" She handed him a large white sheet containing the following information a slight smile on her face:  
  
Hours worked: 7-5. Rate of pay: £4 per hour Total amount of hours: 10 10x4 = £40 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EXCESS CHARGES  
  
Day's room and board: £25 Breakfast: £5 Lunch: £10 Dinner: £10  
  
Total amount £50  
  
£40-£50 = minus £10  
  
"I expect the money by this evening" petunia said in a winning tone But Harry furious stopped her as she turned to go. "What's this" He said "I think it's pretty obvious what it is, your receipt" said Petunia an obvious note of triumph and humour in her voice.  
  
"Right said Harry!" Picking a pencil up from the side and altering the paper in front of him He handed it back to her. "I won't be having dinner this evening so I don't owe you any money. I didn't eat breakfast so you owe me five pounds. Further more from now on I will not be attending any meals and do not expect to be charged for them. Twenty five pound a day is a very expensive price for room and board so I expect the best from my landlord and as a current tenant my tenant's rights dictate that all items in the room should be in working order at the tenant's discretion. If you remove anything from my room I expect the rent to be lowered. Unless you wish to remove them I expect my bookcase my chair and all of Dudley's old toys to be fixed by tomorrow evening and a new bulb in my bedside lamp. On top of this my chores will be confined to my room and the communal toilet. I will no longer cook for you clean for you or sweep up for you. I also expect a second set of bed linen and the cooker washer and dryer to be functioning at all times." He turned to go and Petunia opened her mouth to speak but Harry cut straight back in. "and if you don't like it fine I have plenty of parchment and ink and before long I can have letters out to the government explaining how my legal guardians are charging me for my room and board underage. How they are working me for free which amounts to slave labour, and a few letters to my headmasters and my wizarding friends to explain how I'm being miss-treated. Also remember I am allowed to do magic outside of school and genuinely see nothing wrong with spraying the entire house with mud! I expect my money in the morning" Petunia closed her open mouth gulped and stood there looking shocked.  
  
"Or we could just forget about all this" said Harry indicating the piece of paper in her hand which he then took and scrumpled up. She nodded now my dear Aunt Petunia I do believe you owe me money at the sum of forty pounds." She re gained her wits gave him a cold stare handed him forty pounds from her purse and turned to go.  
  
"Oh" said Harry "and Aunt Petunia." she stopped but did not turn. "I won't be at those pathetic excuses for meals each day I'm going to eat out from now on." He turned and walked up the stairs calmly. When he shut the door he allowed himself a small smile then he flopped down on his bed and unlike the previous two weeks when he had laid awake all night thinking about Sirius and his new plans for the DA. He fell asleep almost instantly. 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry Potter and the shadow war Chapter2:  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing other than the clothes I'm wearing and  
  
the computer I'm typing from  
  
SPOILERS: All Harry Potter books including OOTP!  
  
The next day work was hard but fuelled well by the large breakfast he had in the local bar café, and Harry decided to spend a large portion of his wages on his large meals at breakfast and dinner only snacking at lunch. He bought big bottles of water which he soon drank and refilled from the Dursleys tap. The next two weeks passed in a blur of aching muscles hard work and sleep. However Harry was healthier than ever and before long his muscle fibres were repairing them selves stronger than before and he could wield the second largest sledge hammer over his head and slide his front hand down the butt as it crashed down in an impressive and much practised manner. Harry felt more confident about his ability and the end was in sight, by now he ad been working alone on the garden for three weeks and all the long jobs were out the way. The shed had been moved by placing it on wooden rollers and manovering it down to the far corner of the back garden. The paths had been dug up and Harry had dug the hole where the new, fantastic and extremely expensive Dursley pond was going to go. Harry now had three days in which to lay the new turf bought where the paths used to be and to water it heavily so that the grass shades matched. Then on Monday morning some men were coming to fit the pond, apparently they would be there all the rest of that week and from what Aunt Petunia had said because it came as an expensive package and because she could not lay one of there workmen off Harry would have a compulsory weeks unpaid holiday.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry gave the piece of turf he had just laid one last pat and stood up and stretched his back. He had been thinking while he worked about Voldermort. He was worried because there had been so little news. He had discovered from Hermionie that the prophet seemed determined to make fudge resign but seemed to pay relatively little attention to the serious matter at hand. Harry new from Ron's short letters avoiding Harry's questions that in a similar manner to last year there was very little he could say. The thought of Fudge resigning was not as appealing to Harry as he thought it would be in fact he couldn't see anyone who was right to replace him. There were two other leading Mp's in the wizarding community one who wanted to bribe Voldermort to leave alone the magical community, and only harm muggles and another who seemed to think Voldermort wasn't really an issue and who's main policies was to make the floo network run more smoothly and introduce apparition lessons in school. Considering that Fudge who had now lost all his confidence was checking every small decision with Dumbledore Harry felt that it was as if Dumbledore was minister and in Harry's opinion this was defiantly a good thing. However Harry's thoughts as he sat on the stone chair the Dursleys kept in there garden were disturbed as he heard the news come on the television and realised that he hadn't taken his lunch break. Harry stood up and hurdled over the patch of newly laid turf he ran through the open door of privet drive kicked his boots off ran through the hall then checked himself and opened the door to the living room.  
  
.Thankfully such quakes are so frequent in this area of Japan that even High rise office blocks are built to with stand quakes of this force. Unfortunately due mainly to the suddenness of this earthquake there have been several casualties mainly caused by road accidents. Reports still coming in we should no more this evening, now it's back to Tim and Jane in the studio.  
  
Harry sat down and sighed he clearly hadn't missed anything. He took his glasses from the V necked shirt where they hung and put them on, the room came into focus and revealed Vernon in is favourite armchair quite pointedly ignoring him and aunt petunia sitting on the sofa in a very upright position suggesting she may leap up any moment if she saw a spec of dust. She turned to him a cold questioning look on her face.  
  
"Lunch break" said Harry simply  
  
She looked at her watch and gave the distinct impression that she thought lunch break at twelve was a little early but she made no comment and Harry now turned his attention back to the TV which was now rabiting on about a man who had been wrongfully imprisoned for twenty three years and was released without so much as an apology. The idea of wrongful imprisonment struck painful notes with Harry so he immediately went back to thinking about Voldermort and what might be happening. The problem was that even with access to the muggle news Harry had to interpret what he could as the ministry was not going to directly indicate any actions of Voldermort for fear of revealing the existence of magic. So Harry decided to do something that he should have done a while ago and take out a subscription with the daily prophet. However his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the television.  
  
.This new cult sweeping through Britain calling themselves 'death eaters' are armed and dangerous, cruel and clever these people seem to have no pattern in picking there victims and seem to have invented poisons that can kill instantly leaving little or no trace. Further more this gang seem to be using some of the most cruel torture methods ever, some believe originating from Japan in the 1800's. BBC news advises every one to be careful as these people far from young ruffians are well trained professionals and so far have done just as much damage to police men and other representatives from the law as they have to civilians. The government made a statement today saying that these people are opportunists, however unlike burglars and thieves the safety in which we live makes no difference to these men, instead these people base on those drawing attention to themselves, the government suggest that people do not seek unnecessary attention and try to avoid any attention drawn to themselves.  
  
Some people are angry at this statement saying they feel the government is intimidated by this group and as a consequence is telling people to lay low in a vain hope the attacks might stop.  
  
Harry was paying attention now so much so that he was practically hanging off the edge of his seat, up right like an alert meercat. The story finished and Harry sat back thinking. So he thought the muggle world was being warned. Things must be getting serious.  
  
"Well I won't be intimidated by this lot, I don't care what the bloody news says or what the bloody government says, there a bunch of no good juvenile delinquents. Let them come in my bloody house and I'd teach em a thing or too." Roared Vernon.  
  
Harry couldn't hack it, he knew for sure that somehow his uncle would find some way of involving him and that there would inevitably be an argument. So Harry went up stairs and drafted a basic letter to the daily prophet asking for a subscription and explaining that he would give payment on delivery. He tied the letter to hedwigs leg and told her where to take it. He stroked the back of her neck with the outside of his largest finger, she swivelled her head round one hundred and eighty degrees to give him a affectionate nip on the finger then flew off out of the open window.  
  
Harry sat back on his bed staring at the sealing and started to think. He thought of Sirius and the great loss he had experienced. He missed him so much he knew that there was nothing that he could do and that he was destined to have no parent like figure. He knew that the deaths of his friends and family caused him nothing but pain and for a second he thought about pushing them away but his hatred for Voldermort was sufficient enough to not let him win, and instead Harry made a vow to protect his friends a serious vow.  
  
Of course Harry knew that Sirius's death was caused partly because of Harry running off to hypothetically rescue him. He wouldn't make the same mistake again too long had he left himself in the dark merely by being ignorant. Hanging under a window to watch the news when he could just subscribe the prophet. Sneaking in to offices to speak to Sirius when he could simply use his mirror. No he was going to go to Diagon Alley in his week's holiday and spend some of his money in his vault. He had intended to save as much as possible but it didn't matter he had learnt from earning money over summer that he could start spending if it was for a good cause. And there was no cause he could think of than protecting those he loved. He was going to see what wizarding tracking devices he could get he had a few ideas of where to go.  
  
Harry looked at his watch and realised that he had ten minutes of his lunch break left. No time to go to the café he would have to cut in to his secret supply. Harry lifted the loose floorboard and pulled out a couple of plastic bags containing one full and one half drunk bottle of Vanilla coke. A ten pack of assorted crisps and a Victoria sponge cake currently unopened. He grabbed a packet of spare ribbed flavoured walkers from the bag of assorted crisps. Took a large swig of Vanilla coke then placed the lid back on. Put the crisps in his back pocket and the food that Dudley had been stealing (he was on a new diet now) when Harry hadn't hidden it back in the bags and under the floor board then left the room and walked down to the kitchen where he picked up a refilled bottle of Evian from the fridge where he had placed it last night and walked out in to the garden he looked around as he opened the crisps in his back pocket and placed the water bottle on the seat he had been sitting on earlier. It was his second to last day today, Thursday, on Monday the workman were fitting the pond and he was having the weekend off. There was practically nothing left to do. Laying the turf had been Farley quick, much quicker than he had thought and all that was left was a strip which would need one roll and then he would have to water the place. He only had two hours work left today as he had worked all the light yesterday until seven and consequently only had to work till three today. So putting down the crisps which he had noted did taste extremely like the barbecue spare ribs he had sampled at a Dursley barbecue when he was younger once all the guests had left. He began to work on unrolling and laying the last piece of turf textureising the soil so that it was loose and freshly turned then cutting the width of the roll to fit and slicing off the excess length before watering it thoroughly. He had just about finished when he looked at his watch and realised it had gone two. He figured that it would be a waste of the last two hours if he didn't water it and although having to relay it tomorrow would give it something to do he simply decided to give up his spare time in finishing the job off.  
  
As he packed away the tools, A Owl swooped down beside him and he turned to find a letter and a rolled up newspaper. The letter read.  
  
Dear Mr Potter we have accepted your subscription and as off now you are subscribed to the daily prophet. Please accept a free copy of today's prophet.  
  
Harry could tell this was all in standardised black in written by a magical copying pen however he was intrigued to find a note in blue ink clearly written in human hand writing.  
  
P.s Please accept my sincere apologise for the 'bad' press written about you dure in the course of your fourth and fifth years at school. Unknowns to you since that point in time we have received thousands of letters from readers who want to hear your version of events and explaining how disgusted they are by the way the previous editor treated you. We would greatly appreciate it if you would attend an interview with myself as the reporter explaining what happened on the night Voldermort returned and giving a personal message to the wizarding public of how you believe Voldermort can be defeated. If you accept our offer you will be paid a hundred galleons for the exclusivity and may choose which questions you wish to answer the article will be sent to you for your approval after it has been edited by myself and the story is guaranteed to be run on page one.  
  
Yours sincerely  
  
John tams  
  
The editor Christ Harry thought but they really wanted his interview and the opportunity sounded brilliant as unlike the article in the quibbler people took the prophet seriously. Still he should not be hasty he would think about it and get a second opinion from Ron or Hermionie before he replied.  
  
He looked down and saw the anxious bird twittering in a pigwigion like manner around his feet and realised he had not yet taken his free paper and that consequently the bird could not yet fly off. So he removed the paper telling himself he would read it later and walked back into the house explaining to Petunia that he worked late yesterday and was clocking off early today as a consequence. She gave him a cold look evidently torn between making him work harder and paying him for it.  
  
"Oh and by the way" Harry said turning back round "All I've got left to do is water the turf and I have finished!" He said happily.  
  
She paid him his money and told him that he would not be paid for watering the turf again tomorrow and the rest of the next week. He sighed "Fine, but I guess that means I get the rest of tomorrow off when I have finished." She ignored him and walked off taking that as a yes he turned up the stairs and went into his bedroom.  
  
Harry was about to jump on his bed when he was surprised to find it was already occupied by two owls. He looked at them one was a brown barn owl with black speckling on one wing, and the other was a larger owl that Harry recognised was from Hogwarts. Ignoring the first letter, he went straight to the second letter, he untied it from the owl and he held the package in his hands. It was his OWL results and he was extremely nervous. Finally he gave in to temptation and ripped it open, skimming the front lines he went straight to the results,  
  
Transfiguration: O  
  
Charms: O  
  
Defence against the dark arts: O  
  
Care of magical creatures: O  
  
Astronomy: A  
  
Divination: P  
  
History of magic: E  
  
Well thought Harry that was pretty good I got all I expected and more and then happily thought. I've got all the subjects I want to take on so I can be an Aura but what about potions? It wasn't there? He pondered this for a while in a bit of a panic thinking of explanations including: Snape had been killed, Potions had been struck of the wizarding curriculum, and he had done so badly Dumbledore didn't want to upset him. However when the first rational thought plunged in to his head he studied the bottom of the page closely enough to spot the letter P.T.O. Shaking he whipped the paper over to find the word potions and next to it hung a letter. A big Fat O for outstanding!  
  
AN/: would like to thank all of my wicked reviewers. Let me know your ideas and sorry about the spelling... on the look out for a beta by the way. I'm afraid despite reading the first four books literally over 50 times each. I was not that fond of the fifth book having only read it twice a few of my facts are a little inaccurate. Thanks, Please review. Smegul 


	3. Chapter 3

Harry Potter and the shadow war Chapter3: Everything but the kitchen sink  
  
AN/: Ok guys the longest chapter of anything ive ever written before in my life is 2400 until now. This one is six thousand two hundred words plus. This both shows how committed I am and how I have nothing better to do! I haven't got a beta yet and I don't really want one as it normally delays chapters far too much! Please let me know what you think. So much happens in this chapter I couldn't think of a decent name other than everything but the kitchen sink because it's got everything in it but the kitchen sink! Enjoy!  
  
A wash of relief flew over Harry, he didn't no when but at some point probably around the time of Sirius's departure from this world his idea (for it was merely and idea) of becoming an auror had grown into a dream and now with an outstanding potions owl under his belt that dream was just one small step closer to reality. He allowed himself a little whoop of delight as he thought of snape's face. As he opened the second letter he was surprised to find it was from Hermionie:  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
as I write to you I'm sitting by the window waiting for my OWL results I'm so nervous and I can't wait! This is my new owl his names inky I don't think I need to tell you why, though it will probably take several hours to explain to Ron, Ha! Anyway I was going to keep hold of him incase something went wrong and I needed to send him to get my results, but I could see he was dying to get out and prove himself he's an ex post owl you see, but the company he worked for now specialise on international mail and couldn't have him for long distances because he isn't big enough and would get blown of course. As far as I'm concered he can go anywhere in the UK which is all I need and he's another excuse not to write to Victor besides he is extremely cute! Well where was I? Oh I don't know well, just have good time and don't let the muggles bring you down and happy birthday for tomorrow.  
  
Lots of love  
  
Hermionie  
  
Well thought Harry a smile on his face she really is quite excited he turned over the parchment and wrote  
  
Dear Hermionie,  
  
Thanks for your letter and the comment about my birthday. If you hadn't reminded me I might have forgotten! Good luck with your results though you probably have got them through all ready. Do you have a mobile or home number I could potentially ring you on? It could be useful. The Dursleys are treating me well Dudley is in high spirits Uncle Vernon ignores me and although Aunt Petunia is making life difficult it's no more than last year and this time I'm getting paid forty quid per day. I don't know what's happening for the rest of this summer I haven't written to Ron yet because I've been so busy and I've no word from our friends in that grim old place they call home( subtle huh?). I thought maybe we could meet up this weekend or next week in muggle London for once I actually have some muggle money and I intend to spend it.  
  
Love  
  
Harry  
  
p.s you never said about Krum what ever happened with him?  
  
He tied the letter to Inky's leg and he flew off out the window Harry kept almost constantly open. Hedwig had returned roughly around the same time as the owl delivering the paper had and Harry walked over to her cage and poured some water in to her bowl from the Evian bottle. He sat down at his desk moving his bed side lamp over to the table so he could see better as it was beginning to get dark and started writing to Ron.  
  
Ron,  
  
Sorry I didn't write earlier but I've been busy working for the muggles, and actually getting paid this time. I don't know what you've been up to this summer weather you've been at the burrow or not. I hope to be able to get out of here now the physical work is done. Now there's just planting left (something I'm not to fond of) I hope to see you soon, real soon.  
  
Harry  
  
Even though Ron was his best friend he didn't want to seem to forceful but he really wanted to get out of Privet Drive. He didn't no weather Ron was at Grimmauld Place or The Burrow and either way he couldn't really invite himself. He was hoping Hermionie would agree to meet him in London but even is she didn't he was half tempted to go down to London and stay at the leaky cauldron on his own. He had lots of money in the bank and now that he had earn't some he didn't feel guilty about spending even more. However if his new plans for the DA were to work he was going to need some anyway.  
  
Harry had thought a lot about the DA and it had occurred to him in a rather serial way that Dumbledore's Army was neither Dumbledore's or an army and it should be both. If it wasn't an army it was no use to Dumbledore at least not at this moment in time and Harry had decided that the DA was Going to evolve quickly from a Simple spell practicing club to a duelling club and as members developed it would finally be an order like 'army', a force to be reckoned with. The new generation of warriors, and for once instead of hiding from the attention and not wanting it he dreamed of it. He didn't want to be famous Potter the lucky guy who always got off. He wanted to work hard achieve and lead the DA to victory against Voldermort he wanted to live up to his name he wanted to live to prove himself and most of all he wanted revenge against those bastards. How would he defeat Voldermort if he hid like his father did, like he had done. Attack is the best form of defence moody's words echoed in his ears. However he wasn't stupid he was going to train them and learn himself one step ahead all the time until he became better than he already was, and although he didn't believe it he was already very good.  
  
Harry first plan for the Da was to make it an army with a uniform and a chain of command. Not there to intimidate or scare but to educate and lead. The second plan was to equip the Da not only with the no how but also with the practical and also any magical items that would be useful like marauders maps covering larger areas and invisibility cloaks anything he could find that they could use to there advantage it was time that people stopped pissing around wand waving and used everything they could to beat the opponent. Whether it was physical weapons, magical weapons, wand skills, tactics or quick thinking. When he got back to school he would increase the amount of sessions and they would start duelling he would seed them in positioning including himself so they all had a chance to prove themselves and then with there permission once everyone had duelled everyone and there abilities were better known he would give out ranks based on ability leadership and tactics. He would turn the room of requirement and other secret rooms in Hogwarts in to his HQ and they would police Hogwarts from the likes of Malfoy and his mates then they would branch out into Hogsmede and hopefully by then end of the year with enough practice and confidence he could send them out on operations and have his own chance to prove himself. That was of course if they still wanted him as there leader.  
  
He sighed. All this crazy thinking was giving him a headache he rolled over and for the first time like Snape had told him to he properly emptied his thoughts. His last one being of fear as he suddenly wondered whether all those in the Da would be trustworthy and whether all those who were, would be brave enough to make a difference. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AN/: SHHHHHHHHHH Harry's asleep look I no it's mid chapter but I want to make sure you let me know weather the last bit was inspiring or complete bollocks let me no in the review if you leave one thanks. ####################################################################  
  
The next day Harry woke and looked out the window to see that Privet drive was roped in a thick fog. He turned and saw from his bedside clock that he had bought to wake him up for work read 9:15. Then it hit him it was his birthday! For the first real time perhaps because he was used to receiving gifts from the years before he felt a real pang of excitement. He got out of bed got dressed cleaned his teeth and went down stairs it was empty as Dudley was asleep and Petunia had gone back to be after making Vernon's breakfast who was at work. He walked in to the kitchen to get a glass of tap water and upon noticing all the dirty pots and pans he realized that he hadn't eaten since yesterday lunch and that even then it had just been a bag of crisps. He walked back up to his room and grabbed his new wallet off his desk and took the spare key off the box on the wall. He shut the front door and strolled off down the road. Harry walked until he reached the little parade of shops little whinington had to offer. There was a mini super market, a petrol station, a diy store, a bakery, a mobile phone shop, an estate agency and some very out of place shop that printed the pictures on the front of CD's or something of that sort. The last place Harry reached was little whiningtons only bar café which was attached to the side of the village local, the whinington arms. He walked in and went up to the breakfast bar.  
  
"Hi Rita" said Harry "can I just get a bacon sandwich and a coffee please, nothing special.  
  
Rita a slightly plump jolly woman who's husband was the landlord of the pub next door currently un open because it was too early, reminded Harry of Mrs Weasley.  
  
"Of course dear and that's black with three sugars right?"  
  
"Right" said Harry smiling  
  
Then went and sat down and read the paper provided  
  
When His sandwich arrived he spread mustard on the front layer of bacon and replaced the top part of the sandwich and was just about to take a bite when.  
  
"Hello Harry" Drawled a recognisably majestic voice. "my, my I didn't expect to see you here."  
  
Harry whipped around quick as a flash and was despite already hearing the voice surprised to see him self face to face with a smiling Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"What, what are you doing here" Said Harry in a disbelieving but noticeably happier voice.  
  
"Actually that's my doing Harry." Heard Harry, as he finally noticed Remus.  
  
"I said To Albus here that I wasn't going to let you stay at Privet Drive any longer on Wednesday, as I am now you're legal godfather, at least once Sirius's name is cleared." He Tailed off and paused. "Well Albus here thought it would be wiser that we should come and get you on your birthday and I thought we couldn't just turn up at privet drive on your birthday with no gifts so we left early to buy some and we found some almost straight away and were a little early so we stopped to get something to eat here, as opposed to." he paused then wincing in a slightly mocking voice said "Arobella's."  
  
"Oh said Harry you're not to fond of her cooking either then."  
  
"I'm afraid, Harry very few are, which is a fact only she seems to not know." He laughed and then gave a tired sigh. "But basically to cut a very long and boring story short. We came here and we didn't expect you to be awake yet." He turned to Dumbledore  
  
Dumbledore smiled a glint in his eye.  
  
"Well Harry Sixteen already things do move rather quickly the older one gets. Well shall we find a place to sit and talk" Said Dumbledore  
  
Harry looked at Dumbledore as of he was slightly crazy. "Sir, I'm already sitting down, and there are more seats just in front of you."  
  
Dumbledore smiled "Harry" He said very slowly as if speaking to a very young child "I no were not back to school yet and our heads are delightfully empty of the boring day today rational thinking, but I'm sure you have some questions to ask and weather or not I have some answers for you, so it might be advised if we moved away from our current neighbours and found somewhere a little more private. He winked at Harry without the actual blink of the eyelid.  
  
Harry looked to his right and for the first time noticed some builders giving them some rather strange looks. Harry nodded to them got up and went and sat in the opposite corner where due to the seating plan there was a circular bench that they could sit on and not be heard.  
  
In a few seconds Remus and Dumbledore returned with a mug of hot chocolate each and Dumbledore also had a sticky bun that looked to Harry like an iced finger.  
  
"Well Harry I can't believe I forgot to say it but, HAPPY BITHDAY." Said Dumbledore  
  
"Yes" Of course said Remus "were forgetting why were hear Happy Birthday Harry. We got you a present but we will give it to you later."  
  
"Now Harry." Said Dumbledore I'm afraid we've got some very complicated business. The tin tat complicates simple proceedings is that although we are working on it Sirius's name has not yet been cleared.." Harry had sudden feeling that this conversation was not one he was going to enjoy. Dumbledore continued "This meant and has continued to mean that the owner ship of his property and his responsibility's are very unclear. Now that he is dead." Remus's was looking very grave but Dumbledore in a business like manor showed no sign of remorse, never-the-less Harry new he mourned there loss. "Matters have been complicated further. As the ministry has more important things to do and as we have people willing to testify to Pettingrews existence and Sirius's gallantry as well as your version of what happened. It will be an open and shut case, consequently we are going to proceed with the matters as if Sirius's name was already cleared meaning that the things I tell you or give you today, will be entirely hypothetical and may well be removed from you in the near future. First things first, who is your legal guardian? Well the answer is Remus. As your parents put down Sirius as your guardian should anything happen to them and he put down Remus as your legal guardian should anything have happened to him. Once again this is hypothetically speaking as Sirius's wrongful imprisonment meant that he was never your guardian and as a consequence did not have the chance to hand the honour to Remus.  
  
The next thing is that you will receive absolutely everything Sirius owned. Including all his money Grimmauld place and any compensation or official apology from the government." Harry was surprised to hear this and it took a few seconds for his brain to even function. When he thought about it he would have to be one of the prime candidates along with the Order and Remus. But Dumbledore was not finished and there was time for thought and realisation later. "Because you are sixteen today all of this comes into play as of now. Meaning you own Grimmauld place and are legally allowed to live there. The money is now yours and all the furnishings of Grimmauld place and any of its property are now yours.  
  
Back to the rules about guardians, they differ from muggle rules as not all independence is given to you at the age of sixteen. You are however allowed to go where you want do what you want and live where you want. If you want to marry live in a different country or leave Hogwarts however you do need permission from Remus, and the main reason for a guardian up until the age when you leave Hogwarts is because of the ban on underage magic. A ban that I believe is being lifted sometime in the next week by the minister for magic because of the obvious security risk.  
  
Another thing you should no is that Grimmauld place was just the tempory base for the Order of the Phoenix and that all though we are still close by we no longer have any business there. As for the plan for today, you will be escorted by us to Privet Drive to gather your things and then we will go to Grimmauld Place, I believe you may have a few visitors there after all it is your birthday. Finally the last thing I have to tell you although I can reveal very little information about it is that you will be invited to join the Order of the Phoenix and that with your acceptance will have the opportunity to take a little or a lot more active role against Voldermort. That's about it." Said Dumbledore and Harry suddenly realised that he had not taken a breath in an awfully long time and really ought to exhale before the CO2 built up and he was rendered unconscious. He just sat there thinking, smiling slightly but trying not to look so happy knowing that although all this new was good it was a very bad situation that it had come from. Like a phoenix Harry's Happiness had risen from the ashes. However a voice cut through his thoughts.  
  
"Oh and Harry just one more thing." Said Dumbledore. Harry hardened himself for a piece of potentially bad news or another shocking revelation. "Eat up, your sandwich is getting cold!" Harry laughed and for the first time in a while relaxed and was at ease.  
  
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The rest of that morning Harry was extremely busy, after hearing all of Dumbledore and Lupin's news Harry told them about his summer working hard in the Dursleys garden and he received a comment from the both of them along the lines of 'we noticed', making Harry think for the first time that his muscles may not only have gained strength physically but also gained in size.  
  
The three of them walked to Privet Drive and Harry entered alone to collect his things, throwing everything in to his trunk hurriedly in a fit of excitement. As he tossed his ink and parchment from his desk, it suddenly occurred to him that he had not received any birthday cards, however far aside from upsetting him this merely excited Harry even more as he new his friends would not forget his birthday, meaning that the chances were they would be the visitors at his house Dumbledore referred to. He paused suddenly, his house? It belonged to him! All of a sudden things began to sink in. He owned a house! He would never have to return to the Dursleys ever again! He could have friends to stay! Go flying on the grounds whenever he wanted. Floo to places! Meet friends, live not only a normal life, but have the freedom every normal kid ever dreamed of!  
  
Then suddenly he realised that he had not packed anything in the last four minutes and instead was sitting on the bed in shock. He glanced at his bedside clock which now read 12:30 they had spent hours talking! Aunt Petunia will be back up soon he thought and began packing again as quickly as possible wanting to avoid ever seeing the Dursleys again. He finally pulled up the loose floor board and put all the food he had been keeping there in his trunk, and then leaving the floorboard open to reveal to the Dursleys that he hadn't always done everything they wanted. He shut his trunk and carried it off down the steps. As Harry reached the bottom of the steps he saw that Lupin had come inside to help him with his trunk. "How are we getting there?" asked Harry  
  
"By day bus." Said Lupin making an attempt to hold one handle of the trunk, Harry flicked his hand away, he didn't consider the trunk heavy any more.  
  
"I suppose that's like the night bus then is it?" Harry said taking the initiative  
  
"Well yes." replied Lupin "Only it has what amounts to a bar/ coffee shop / café inside instead of the beds, and we don't call it the day bus, simply 'the bus' I just didn't want to get you mixed up that's all. Harry and Lupin had walked outside where they saw Dumbledore Had hailed what seemed like an identical version of the night bus, Harry stared at it in awe because it's only feature different from the night bus was that it was a double, double Decker, meaning that it had no less than four flaws! Suddenly Harry stared around panic stricken worried that one of the muggles on Privet Drive might look out there windows, and although the night bus did stand out quite badly, this monster machine in front of Harry was nothing like anything in the muggle world. Seeing the look on Harry's face the conductor Stan Shunpike said  
  
"Allo Arry, Don worry nun of dem muggles can see us! Were invisible!"  
  
Harry was relived. "Yeah, of course." muttered Harry "Sorry I was just being stupid! Hello Stan how's things."  
  
"Stan?" said the man questioningly  
  
He laughed  
  
"Nah you must mean my older brova well.by eight seconds. No! Ofcourse I'm not Stan are you mad aww sumink?"  
  
"Sorry" said Harry "It's just you look so much like im, I mean him"  
  
"Well ocourse I does, were twins innit, but surely you don't fink Stan could be both on night bus and the bus do you? You fink ee don sleep or sumink" He laughed again  
  
"Sorry" said Harry once again "guess I wasn't thinking"  
  
"Don't worry" he said "we look an awful lot a like, I'm Sam by the way. It's funny you said though actually just the other da."  
  
But he was cut off.  
  
"Sam." Said Dumbledore "Do you think we might be able to get on the bus now. Were rather tired and we'd like to sit down."  
  
Although Dumbledore said this in the friendliest way possible Sam was quite clearly shaken by being reprimanded by such a high ranking and powerful wizard. So with out a word he simply stepped aside and allowed them on the bus. Harry noticed that Sam didn't charge them and he thought this was fairly strange however his questions were answered fairly quickly.  
  
SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Rang out through the bus as Harry rounded the corner to find a large amount of people. Many of which he knew. That was when it hit him. Why he hadn't been charged. Why no one had given him any presents or cards yet and why Sam hadn't been shocked to find Harry Potter right in front of him, especially when Harry's new hair cut short and spiky/messy had left his scar completely visible.  
  
He looked ahead to see Hermionie and Ron rushing towards him, and he was so happy to see them that he flung his arms round Hermionie who had clearly not grown over summer and was dwarfed by Ron and himself. Then letting go of her with one hand and leaving the other round her shoulder shook clenched hands with Ron and leant in so that there shoulders touched in a far manlier greeting.  
  
"Harry!" screamed Hermionie "Oh God ive missed you." She said rather loudly then flushed slightly red and to Harry's utmost delight Ron seemed neither phased by the hug, the comment or the kiss Hermionie planted on his cheek. Instead he just beamed at Harry and said "Good to see you mate"  
  
"Good to see you to." Said Harry "I've been mind numbingly bored without you guys around to amuse me" He grinned  
  
"Oh" said Hermionie in a mocking tone whilst she clung to Harry, something he did not seem at all upset about. "So I guess were just playthings for your amusement! Are we" said Hermionie laughing.  
  
"Well I'm cool with that said Harry winking at her in an alluring way." Then turning to Ron and laughing. Ron laughed back. As did Hermionie, and it occurred to Harry that neither himself nor Ron, nor even Hermionie were acting very normally. Instead Ron seemed more relaxed than usual, Harry more confident and Hermionie less bossy. It seemed that in the process of growing up they were all losing some of there less fitting characteristics. However as usual for Harry there was no time for such musings.  
  
"Look Harry everyone you could possibly think of is here! I don't know who on earth is watching You know who tonight because almost all the order members we know are here. As were Fred and George, Ginny, Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley, Neville, Seamus Finnagan, Parvati Patill, Padma Patill, Lavander brown, Susan Bones, Angelina Johnson, Oliver Wood, Lee Jordan, and many others, including many strangers who Harry assumed were going on the Day bus and just joined in on the festivities. Harry greeted everybody and went up to the bar to order a coffee and Hermionie advised him to have a mochachino. Ron and Hermionie already had drinks.  
  
The party was thoroughly enjoyable. Harry spoke to everyone in the room and was formerly introduced to those he didn't know. Everyone appeared to have a great time, and everyone treated Harry just like a normal person on there birthday. However many of the people he knew better did not spend too much time talking to him as they knew even though he was required to mingle, he wanted to spend some time catching up with Ron and Hermionie. It appeared Ron had been staying with his brothers working with them at there shop in Diagon alley. Hermionie had been staying at home with almost as little contact with the wizarding world as Harry had.  
  
As the morning drew on they all went up one floor to have a buffet lunch at about 1:30 and were waited on by Dobby who appeared to have begged Dumbledore to arrange this feast and come along at no expense spared. It was thoroughly enjoyable meal, and once Dobby had poured everyone drinks Harry pulled up the chair next to him and told Dobby to sit. Dobby quite clearly was torn between crying with happiness and demanding that a proper house elf knows his position but Dumbledore stepped in and told Dobby to sit down fill his plate with food and enjoy himself as much as possible. This coming from Dobby's master ment that he could literally not refuse. As they ate Harry noticed for the first time that Ginny was looking ever so slightly disgruntled, and at almost at exactly the same time. Seamus leaned across and said  
  
"Did yeh not tink to invite Dean, Harry?"  
  
"Oh." said Harry "I didn't notice he wasn't here. Remember that it's a surprise party I didn't do invite's, sorry."`  
  
"Oh yeah of course." Said Seamus and leaned over to get another leg of chicken  
  
Harry looked back at Ginny and suddenly everything fell in to place.  
  
"You were in charge of invites weren't you Ron?" Harry asked casually  
  
"Yeah" said Ron "Why?"  
  
"Oh nothing" said Harry "just wondering anyway I'm off to the loo"  
  
He stood up and walked back down stairs where he found no one other than Sam and the driver Dave who were sharing a plate of buffet Food Hermionie had brought down to them. The bus was practically driving itself and Harry noticed a Tunnel which wouldn't have even fitted the night bus through it, leap high in the air as the double, double Decker drove through it.  
  
Harry walked over to his trunk took out a piece of paper and wrote.  
  
Dear Dean,  
  
It's my birthday today and I'm having a surprise party currently underway which in the confusion Ron has seemingly forgotten to invite you to. I'm sure everyone would be pleased to see you. Ginny is here. The party is on the bus. Just stand outside your house hold out your wand arm and with a bang the bus will be there.  
  
I hope you can make it at such short notice  
  
Harry  
  
He went back up stairs and was greeted by one of the passengers David Houghton who had to leave because it was his stop who thanked him for the meal and the fact he was allowed to travel for free. Shook his hand wished him the best for the future and told him to have a very happy birthday. Harry thanked him and went and sat back down in his place.  
  
After the food everyone went back downstairs and slowly the ranks of the party depleted as people got off at there respective stops. This was mainly people from the Order who weren't going back too there new HQ as well as Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley and other friends. All Harry's friends from school, including Fred and George, Angelina Johnson were going back to his house for the evening. As the party went on it divided in to two Groups one of adults entirely comprising of the order of the phoenix. The other of Harry and his school friends who were going to Grimmauld place.  
  
The bus stopped and Harry saw through the group of people Dean Thomas get on board and Harry went over to great him, as did Ron.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Said Ron extremely rudely.  
  
"When I saw he wasn't here I invited him to MY party." Said Harry coming up behind Ron and putting particular emphasis on the word MY party.  
  
"Oh, yeah." Said Ron blushing "Sorry mate I forgot to invite you" said Ron not sounding sorry at all.  
  
"its okay." Said Dean slowly slightly confused.  
  
Ron moved forward to speak to Dean privately. Revealing Ginny who had been standing behind him all smiles. Harry winked at her  
  
And then hearing Ron's voice saying  
  
".ou even touch her and I will."  
  
Harry walked over to him  
  
".strictly no contact you here me! I'm watching you Thomas!"  
  
"Ron" said Harry and put his arm on his closest shoulder.  
  
"Come over here mate, let's get a drink."  
  
"But I've already got a drink" Said Ron.  
  
"Well then." said Harry Looking over his shoulder and seeing Ginny and Dean kissing. And keeping his hand firmly on Ron's shoulder. The two lovers pulled apart ".You've got nothing to worry about." Said Harry letting go of Ron's shoulder  
  
"Harry, what are you on about, I wasn't worried about anything, and I've already Got a drink!" Then suddenly his face lit up in realisation, and he spun round like a shot. However Ginny and Dean were just talking. He turned back to Harry seemingly outraged. Then seeing the very slight grin on Harry's face. Paused burst out laughing and fell in to a more relaxed posture and said "Come on you kniving git lets go and find Hermionie."  
  
The rest of the time on the bus went well Ron was far more relaxed but Harry wasn't fooled as he moved strategically round never loosing sight of Dean and Ginny. As the meal had lasted till three thirty and they had all stayed sat down till about four. It was now six o'clock and before long  
  
Sam Shunpike leant round the corner and yelled out  
  
"Nex stop Grimmauld place!"  
  
Within minutes they were there and all the Order members and students crowed off the bus.  
  
Dumbledore walked up to Harry and told him that That Grimmauld place was ready and waiting for him. He handed him the keys and told him he could use it how he wanted. That as long as it was ok with Harry, Ron and Hermionie would be staying there until September first and that it would be a good idea if he let some of his other friends stay tonight.  
  
"And on the key ring there's another key which opens the first floor closet. That's the safest place and currently contains your birthday presents. You may well want to open the ones in sliver paper the second you get through the door." Dumbledore had a glint in his eye as usual re- assuring Harry "I will be around tomorrow at two thirty to show you Ron and Hermionie the new order HQ and to have a little chat. Ron and Hermionie had the others up to the door of Grimmauld place and he had heard them gasp as it appeared between the other houses. They were now crowded under the porch waiting.  
  
"Hurry yup Harreey" Said Seamus "It's sterting te rain"  
  
"Harry walked up to the door and put the key in. All of a sudden there was a strange whirling sound and the lock absorbed the key then the door absorbed the lock and the door swung open to reveal a very different Grimmauld place. The walls of the hallway were painted white and as a consequence much brighter, The picture of Sirius's mother had been removed from the was and replaced with one of a man in Dumbledore's office.  
  
Harry walked forward and in to the room where the Order meetings were usually held to find the walls painted a majestic red and filled with large sofa's and one large arm chair with a wizarding wireless next to it all centred around a large coffee table. Come on in guys, said Harry the toilets down the hall some one put on the radio will you? I will be back in second. Intrigued Harry walked back out and into the hall way against the on coming flow of traffic turned to his right towards the kitchen and toilet and then took a left to find the small closet there. When the key had been absorbed by the lock they had removed them selves from the key ring still leaving two others. One of which Harry now used to open the closet to find an absolute array of presents! He stepped back in shock looking at the several large boxes and strangely shaped parcels all with different coloured parcels and a large stack of envelopes.  
  
He paused regaining his wits for the third time that day and looked down to see five big different shaped boxes closest to the door all wrapped in silver wrapping paper and the only ones with a card not in the stack. He picked up the card and began to read.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
It seems to me that this year will be the year when Voldermort comes back and casts a similar reign of terror to that of 16 years ago. You and your friends will have the responsibilities of a full adult laid on your shoulders at an age far too young. Enjoy your youth before this happens. It seems very unlike me to give you such a present but there are certain stages of growing up that you will miss lessons you will not have the opportunity to learn and fun you will not have the chance to have. You want to have as much fun as you can before you do not have the chance. There is one person who is no longer with us but I know he had something similar planned. There will be some who do not approve but as you know this has never bothered me before. Enjoy yourself but be careful.  
  
Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Harry slightly bemused pulled the largest and nearest box towards him finding it surprisingly heavy and opened it to find a crate of what looked like about 80 butter beers. He laughed. This is so strange he thought as he opened the other packages smiling in anticipation and discovering 10 bottles of Ogden's old fire whiskey and a large box of muggle soft drink. It was going to be one hell of a birthday!  
  
AN/: That's finally done! I'm sorry if you think the fire whisky is a little over the top. Don't fear this won't turn out to be one of those fics where Harry becomes a piss head... I just thought one night he could have a little fun. I'm going along the lines that the wizarding age limit is 16 for drinking so that this is kind of like a 18 (Britain) or 21st (USA) birthday party that's has been laid on to give Harry one night of being a stupid teenager. Please bear in mind the age limit in the rest of Europe is 14 and 16 so I'm not going to have any of you lovely American people out there telling me I am being unrealistic just because things are different over your way. Thanks please review. 


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